Revolving fan speed control



Jan. 4, 1949. E. PRIMEAUX 2,458,098

REVOLVING FAN SPEED CONTROL I Filed Dec. 17,1945 2 Sheets-Sheet i &

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I/iu'eutor Pfifireaux By gm Jan. 4, 1949. 2,458,098

REVOLVING FAN SPEED CONTROL Filed Dec. 17, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ll-IIIIllllL .U

Inventor EI Primeaux m y I} (ma W m Patented Jan. 4, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE REVOLVING FAN SPEED CONTROL Ely Primeaux, Alexandria, La. Application December 17, 1945, Serial No. 635,508

10 Claims. 1

This invention relates to a revolving fan speed control, and more particularly to a type of construction wherein two or more fans revolve or gyrate around a main support, and the assembly of a speed control whereby it is possible to regulate the speed of the fans rotating aroundsaid support.

An object of the invention is to provide a speed control means by which the speed of the fans driven by individual motors, such as electric motors, may be set to operate at predetermined speeds within certain limits so that when due to the same tending to run beyond set speeds, an automatic brake will be applied by centrifugal action, to check and maintain the speed uniform or below a predetermined or excessive limit.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel drive mechanism for supporting the plurality of individual fans rotating around the support including said driving mechanism, and means governor operated, to automatically control and maintain the speed of the fans in revolving around the support, at a predetermined limit.

Other objects and advantages reside in the de tails of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a fan having a speed control constructed in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional elevation taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a section taken on the line 33 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is asection taken on the line 44 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a horizontal sectional view taken,

suitably secured to the ceiling and in which the upper end of the hangar or support may be secured as by threading or otherwise so as to be suspended or hung therefrom. At the lower portion of the hanger and support I0 is a revolving carriage or gear box 12, the same enclosing the driving mechanism and preferably being in the form of a frame of square or rectangular form open at the opposite sides. The top is'provided with a depending bearing sleeve [3 which reof friction around the depending hangar or tubular support [0.

Extending horizontally from opposite sides of the carriage or frame I2 which is enclosed by a spherical or globular shaped casing l9 shown made of two sections and 2| flanged circumferentially as at 22 and joined by a band 23, or otherwise suitably shaped and retained together to permit access to the parts, are a plurality of extended fansupports or arms 24 shown passing through apertures 25 in the casing and coupled to nipples or tubular threaded bosses 26 on the sides of the frame or carriage 12, as by threading or the like i so as to render the same removable for facility in apertured plugs 28 having pivot ears 29 aper-,

tured horizontally to receive pivots 3| disposed through spaced apertured pivot ears 3! formed 1 on motor housings 32 of the fan motors, preferably electric motors which are made streamline or bullet-shaped preferably as shown. The rotors 33 of the motors 32, have their rotor shafts 34 provided with bladed fans 35 preferably all facing in the same direction. These motors are therefore hung from the pivots 30 and as means,

for supplying current thereto, a disc 36 of insulation or other material is fixed to the hanger In above the carriage or frame I2 within the casing ill to support collector rings 31 and 38 which are embedded in or insulated from the disc 36 and located at the bottom surface thereof in concentric arcs to which line wires 39 and 40 from a source of current supply, lead to the collector or contact rings. The rings are engaged by separate carbon or other brushes 40 and 4| supported in the top of the carriage or frame l2 and resiliently pushed against the same as by means of springs 42. The wires or conductors of the feed lines 39 and 40 are connected to suitable terminals leading to the contact rings or current collector rings posed vertically in the frame l2 has a needle point bearing 41 in an adjustable bearing screw 48 threaded through an internally threaded bearing sleeve 49 in the top of the frame 12- and adjustable at the top thereof as shown. Therstaff. carries a small pinion or spur gear 50 meshing with the larger pinion or spur gear I and adapted to revolve about the same, since the gear I6 isstationary on the hanger 10.. Thelower. portion of the staff has a similar bearing in-a. correspondingly adjustable bearing screw. at the bottom of the frame I2, which parts arenumbered. the same as those at the top of the: staff and.

frame, thus mounting the staff: to turn with the least amount of friction: The lower portion of the staff- 46 may be the same sizeas the-upper portion, or may bereduced and in either event, slidably supports aregulator disc or friction brake discv 5|. for vertical movement thereon and connected by spring arms 52 with the gear 50.- and a sleeve or hub 53 thereof fixed to-the. staff, or

formed integral therewith. The spring arms 52.

carry weightsor balls 54, which, underthe centrifugal action by revolving.- with the pinion or gear 50, move outward.- and thus raise the reg ulator andv friction brake disc 5i on the staff 46, while normally being. lowered when. the parts are-not turning. A lever 55 is pivoted at 56 to a bearing bracket 51 supported or formed integral with the bottom of the carriage or frame l2 and projecting upwardlytherefrom, the inner short arm of the lever having. a brake shoe 58 at-t-he bottom to engage the disc 5! but. held out of engagement therewith by a spring. 59.- con necting the outer end or the long arm. of the lever to. the bottom of the frame or carriage l-z al though it may be otherwise suitably positioned or mounted. The bottom of: the frame. is apertured and provided with. an internally threaded sleeve fillinwhichan adjusting. screw- Hlis mounted to engage the underside of the long. arm. of the lever 55 as more-particularly. shown in Figure 2 oil the drawings and has a knurled operating knob. 62 by which it. may be adjusted to-regulate. the distancebetween the brake shoe 58 and the disc. 51. By this means, the speed. at whichthe brake operates Within certain limits,.may be reg.-

ul'atedi asv desired. to. control. the. speed. at which. the. fans revolve about the axis. formed. by the.

hanger. III.

Having enumerated the. parts, it. may be stat ed that the wiring. system-is. conventional as described, to. drive the motors. In operation, when the electric current is switched" on or. supplied to the collector rings from they line or supply wires. the same. will be collected by the brushes and.

supplied to the motors, so that the latter will be driven to operate the fans, thus setting, up an air pressure or suction which will cause the entire assembly to rotate around the stationary support or hanger. The speed regulator or governor, mounted in the. carriage together with the small pinion or gear 50,v will turn. or revolve about the larger pinion or gear It with the whole assembly. The force applied by the fans to the carriage and parts supported thereby will cause the pinion or gear 5|] to revolve, exhorting or causing centrifugal force on the governor Weights 01' balls 54 and spring arms 52 to swing them outwardly and causing the regulator or friction disc 5| to rise and engage or contact with the brake shoe 53 of the lever 55, which is held from downward. movement by the adjusting screw or stop B-l. Adjustment of the distance that the disc 5| can travel, by means of the screw 6|, before the disc will engage the brake shoe, by means of; the lever 55., will permit regulation of the speed with which the fans and carriage as an assembly rotate around the hanger in a revolving or yrating movement, in a simple and effective manner.

In View of the foregoing description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings it it believed that a clear understanding. ofv theconstruction, operation and. advantages of the device will be quite apparent to those skilled in this. art. A more detailed description is accordingly deemed unnecessary.

It is to be understood, however, that even though there is herein shown and described. a. preferred embodiment of the invention the same is susceptible to certain changes fully. comprehendedv by the spirit of the invention as. hereindescribed. and the scope of the appendedclaims.

What I claimis:

1. In a revolving, fan speed control, a hanger, a plurality of'fans. arranged to revolve about the hanger, a governor includin a stair mounted to revolve withthe fans around. the. hanger and having drive connection with the hanger, governor means on thestaff, a brake disc slidable withthe governor accordin to the speed ofrotation thereof and a. brake shoe. engageable with the. disc to control the speed with which the fans revolve about the hanger.

2.. In a revolving fan speed control; a hanger, a plurality of fans arranged to revolve about the hanger, a. governor including a stafi mounted! to revolve with the fans around the hanger andhaving drive connection With the hanger,, governor means on the staff, a brake disc. slidable with the governor according to. the speed of rotation thereof, a brake shoe engageable with the disc to control the speed with which the fans revolve about the hanger, and means for re ulating. the position of the brake shoe relative to the disc.

3. In a revolving fan speed. control, a hanger, a carriage mounted to revolveon the hanger, a plurality of fanscarried by the carriage and tending to revolve the same around the hanger, agovernor driven in the carriage by. said revolution, a brake disc carried by the governor and shiftable accordingto thespeedthereoia brake lever having a shoe engageable withthedisc at a predetermined high speed,.and' an adjusting means for the lever to determine the speed at which the shoe engages the disc to check the speed thereof.

4'. A revolving fan speed control comprising a stationary hanger, a. frame mounted thereon to.

revolve,.a gear onthelower end of the hanger,

anti-friction bearings between the. frameand the gear, a second gear operatedby the first gear and rotatably mounted in the frame and having a governor withv spring, arms and weighted members adapted on the centrifugal action to swing. outwardly and? inwardly, av brake disc slidably mountedv to movewith said. arms, a plurality of. arms on the frame supporting motor fans, acasing over the frame, a lever pivoted in the frame and having a shoe to engage the disc, means to hold the lever normally disengaged from the disc, an adjusting screw engaging the lever through the frame to adjust the shoe relative to the disc to determine the speed at which the disc engages the brake shoe, and means for driving the fans.

5. A revolving fan speed control comprising a stationary hanger, a frame mounted thereon to revolve, a gear on the lower end of the hanger, anti-friction bearings between the frame and the gear, a second gear engaging the first gear and rotatably mounted in the frame and having a governor with spring arms and weighted members adapted on the centrifugal action to swing outwardly and inwardly, a brake disc slidably mounted to move with said arms, a plurality of arms on the frame, motor fans suspended from the arms, a casing over the frame, a lever pivoted in the frame and having a shoe to engage the disc, means to hold the lever normally disengaged from the disc, an adjusting screw engaging the lever through the frame and casing to adjust the shoe relative to the disc to determine the speed at which the disc engages the brake shoe, and means to supply current to the motors of the fans.

6. In a revolving fan speed control, a hanger, a plurality of arms arranged to revolve about the hanger, fans supported by the arms, a centrifugal governor carried by the arms and driven from the hanger by revolving with the arms, and means controlled by said governor to control the speed with which the arms and fans revolve about the hanger.

7. In a revolving fan speed control, a stationary hanger, a casing rotatably supported on the hanger, a plurality of arms carried by the casing and arranged to revolve about the hanger with the casing, fans suspended .from the arms, a centrifugal governor carried by the arms and operatively driven from the hanger as the arms revolve about the hanger, and means controlled by the governor to control the speed with which the arms and fans revolve about the hanger.

8. In a revolving fan speed control, a hanger,

a plurality of fans arranged to revolve about the hanger, a centrifugal governor revolving with the fans about and driven by the hanger, and means cooperative with the governor to control the speed with which the fans revolve about the hanger.

9. A revolving fan speed control comprising a stationary hanger, a frame mounted thereon to revolve, a gear on the lower end of the hanger, anti-friction bearings between the frame and the gear, a second gear engaged with the first gear and rotatably mounted in the frame, governor means rotatable with the second gear within the frame, a plurality of arms on the frame, motor fans suspended from the arms, and means carried by the frame and cooperative with the governor means to regulate the speed with which the arms and fans revolve about the hanger.

10. A revolving fan speed control comprising a stationary hanger, a frame mounted thereon to revolve, a plurality of arms on the frame, motor fans carried by the arms, governor means carried by the frame and operatively driven from the hanger to control the speed with which the arms and fans revolve about the hanger, a stationary disk on the hanger above the frame having contact rings concentrically arranged, brushes carried by the frame and engaging the contact rings, conductors connected to the rings and extending from the brushes to the motors of the fans through the arms and means to supply current to the rings.

ELY PRIME'AUX.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 676,441 McBerty June 18, 1901 871,672 Campbell Nov. 19, 1907 959,503 Galland May 31, 1910 1,015,347 Schnans Jan. 23, 1912 1,295,618 Shaw Feb. 25, 1919 1,373,480 Brainard Apr. 5, 1921 1,741,736 Richardson Dec. 31, 1929 2,112,766 Fletner Mar. 29, 1938 

